Cosily nuptials a sign of the times

THERE was this bit on the
news, last aight (’'m writing
this on the 10th) about prepa-:
rations for Valentine’s Day
and the possibility of wed-
dings arising from over-
enthusiastic responses to lav-
ish gifts of flowers and choco-
late.

And the chap who was doing the
talking added the information that
one could count on a layout of any-
where from $10,000 to $50,000 for

“your average nuptials these days. Well,
we couldn’t stop laughing. Our own
little ceremony had set us back, Iet’s
see: twenty-five dollars for his suit
from Dick Smith; three-fifty for my
hat, which was navy blue and would
go nicely with my blue two piece; my
lovely corsage was presented as a gar-
land on a case of beer from Charlie
Weir who had the flower sho;
from our work- -place. Now a id five
dollars for the minister and that was
that.

My sister’s husband drove me to

vintage
years

the church and after the reception at
my new mother-in-law’s home we
were off in my new husband's father’s
car to spend the night in Chilliwack
en route to the Okanagan for a brief
honeymoon.

The nuptials, then, had set us back
maybe forty-odd dollars, the honey-
moon perhaps another twenty, all
told.

had relatives in the Okanagan
who probably gave us a meal or two,
I can’t remember. But there surely
wasn’t what you could call any squan-

dering going on.

And of all lucky things, at that
time, the fall of 1942, when there was
a general crisis about lodging in
Vancouver, we had been steered to an
attic “apartment” that had been the
home of a retiring school teacher
$27.50 a month, which included our
own telephone.

It was one of those old narrow
wooden houses that they built check
by jow! in those days, and there was a
back balcony that pave us a stirring,
view of the shipbuilding going on
down in the False Creek area. Half of
the balcony had been pre-empted for
the bathroom facilities, which consist-
ed of toilet and shower, so when your
ablutions were complete you plunged
out into the cold and made a sharp
immediate left into the kitchen.

The kitchen had a cupboard, a_.
counter and a gas-stove which gave
me the heebie-jeebics ~ I was quite
daunted as to its workings and was
terrificd of being gassed. My coukery
as a result was what you might chari-
tably call sketchy.

We were delivzhitecu ww have what

we had though (with the exception of

the mattress -— my husband had been
brought up on Simnion’s best) and
despite my being alone for five days
of each weck whilst he took his
freight truck up north and back
again, the daily round exerted its dis-
ciplines and kept me from feeling
sorry for myself.

T had to walk a few blocks down
Cambie to my job every day, and 7
had to practise shopping for food
after work, something totally foreign
to me. In the years J was teaching in
the bush there were no stores and
when I'd lived at home the fast cou-
ple of years the food shopping had
been cntirely in the hands
father.

Sill, the tobacco tin exerted its
own tyranny — we both smoked and
certainly couldn’ afford tailor-mades,
and there was no magic machine, so I
rolled our weekly consumption of
smokes by hand while | listened to
Wayne King and Guy Lombardo on
our Jinky litde radio.

I have to tell you, those were the
days, kiddo.

of the step-

a8 SUNDAY, FEB. 9

Sunday social 1:30 p.m. at
Silver Harbour Cenire, 144 E.
22nd St., N.V. Everyone wel-
come. Info: 980-2474.

‘MS. Society self-help groups
fbr varying needs. Info: 689-

MONDAY, FEB.10
N.S. Keep Well free drop-in

program at” North Shore
Neighborhood House, 225 E.
2nd St. N.V. 9 a.m. walking
club; 9: 30 a.m. exercise; 10:30
a.m. blood pressure, massage
& ‘nutrition program. Info:
987-2675.

Carpet Bowling. Daily except
Tuesdays. Call: for times. Silver
Harbour Centre, W.V., 980-

. “ 2A74,

“. Meals on Wheets: Hot meals
‘delivered. between 11:30 a.m.
and ‘1 p.m. on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays for the
elderly, disabled © or those
unable to prepare nutritious
meals for themselves. Info:

“922- 3414,

Hearts in. Motion Walking
; Club. Mon., Wed., Fri., at
- 8:45 a.m, Capilano Mall, food
court. Info: 983-8492.

Music & Motion casy fitness
class. 10 a.m. Silver Harbour

“month, 1-3 p.m.

Centre. Info: 980-2474.

information for seniors
1s available the last Mon. cach
Silver
Harbour Centre. Info: 980-
2474,

Table tennis. Info: Silver
Harbour Centre, 980-2474.

Tennis for seniors aged 55
yrs. & older. North Shore
locations. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Info:
988-2359.

Bingo. 1:15 p.m. Bingo caller
and other volunteers are need-
2d. Silver Harbour Centre,
N.V. Info: 980-2474.

Seniors’ One-Stop Line. Call
for information about health,
housing, transportation, sup-
port groups, meal programs,
financial & legal issues, etc.
Weekdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Info:
983-3303.

PRE VIA CLEARANCE

’96 Toyota Previa. Critically acclaimed as the
finest mini-van in the world, Period.
Factory rebates allow us ta sell these
Previas below dealer cost.

= jim Pattison Toyota

1765 ne Drive, North Vancouver. 985-0591

Hostess voluntecrs needed
daily at Silver Harbour Centre.
info: 980-2474

Stamp Club. 2nd & 4th
Monday each month, 1-3 p.m.
Silver Harbour = Centre.
Donations to city library
juniors. Info: Faith Sagar, 985-
3580.

Seniors’ Evening Meal
Program. Three-course din-
ner, four evenings per week in
the company of others. Info:
North Shore Home Support
Services, Marilyn or Hilary,
983-6000.

TUESDAY, FEB.
11

Eldererobics. Work-out ses-
sion for seniors. 10-11 a.m.,
Tuesday & Thursday Delbrook
Recreation Centre. Info:
Christine Colbow, 926-2739.

Music lectures. 11 a.m.
Vancouver Academy of Music.
Info: 987-0607.

Stephen Wong
Pharmacist

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985-8771

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Sunday, March 2 - 8:00 pm
Capilano Performance Theatre
Birch Building Capilano College

Tickets & Information - 687-1644 .

Douglas Baker

Lawyer

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Vancouver Centre
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hong

Q: “What activities

are there at Rideau
Manor?”

A: How much time do
you have to hear about

all of them? I don’t mean
to sound flip, but there
really are sc many
different things to do at
Rideau Manor. We tend
to focus on social
activities and opportuni-
ties for enrichment of
the quality of life for our.
residents.

Imagine a friendly group
meeting for crib or
shoutime, enjoying a
karaoke sing-a-long,
fashion and shopping
shows, or the very
popular Strawberry

Social Tea. There is ;
always something special .
planned for holidays such ,

Mother's Day and the ;
very busy month of
December.

Our bus takes folks out

| for some very interesting i

trips including: a summer
dinner cruise, tours of -

the new Vancouver
airport or the Yaletown
brewery, a sunny lunch

at the New Westminster
Quay or a day at the
Races. -

dust as important is the
unorganized time.
Spending an afternoca
with the grandchildren
visiting, curled up in a
cozy apartment with a
good book or, enjoying
our spectacular mountain
and city views over tea
and cookies.

All are art of the Rideau
Manor experience. Just
give me a call to find out
more,